The present invention relates generally to vehicles having moveable roof panels and, in particular, to an apparatus for selectively exposing an interior of a pickup truck cab.
Open-air vehicles, such as convertibles and the like, are well known. A typical convertible has a two door body style with a folding roof, either flexible or rigid, that can be stored in a separate compartment or boot formed in the vehicle body between the passenger compartment and the trunk. When the roof is stored, the entire passenger compartment is exposed to the surrounding environment.
Also well known are vehicles having transparent or solid opaque roof panels that are removable and stored in the trunk or luggage area. Other vehicles are provided with transparent or solid roof panels that are manually or automatically movable to an open position to expose an opening in the vehicle roof. These later roof configurations are commonly known as moonroofs and sunroofs.
Pickup trucks have increased in popularity in recent years. Many pickup trucks are provided with moonroofs or sunroofs and/or have a sliding rear window. While many customers are satisfied with moonroofs and the like, there are customers who prefer the open air feel provided by convertible vehicles. Prior art convertible pickup trucks, however, typically have had structural shortcomings with high interior noise levels and a lack of security due to canvas roofs. In addition, a vehicle with a full convertible top loses much of its torsional stiffness imparted by the roof structure, disadvantageously giving a shaky ride and reduced durability. Folding tops also require storage room behind the seats that shortens the truck bed.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a vehicle body, such as a pickup cab and pickup bed, having open air characteristics while not introducing unwanted performance characteristics such as shaky ride, poor security, reduced durability, and high interior noise levels.